Leclerc’s chase for second wasn’t ‘necessary at all’

Ralf Schumacher feels Charles Leclerc should have accepted third place at Imola, as that is “key” to winning a World title.

Losing out to both Red Bull drivers off the line at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as well as Lando Norris, Leclerc first set about passing the McLaren before trying to chase down Sergio Perez.

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After a processional race without DRS in the opening half, he tried to make it happen when he pitted for soft tyres with 13 laps remaining.

Although Red Bull responded by pitting Perez, as well as race leader Max Verstappen, Leclerc’s undercut closed the gap to the Mexican driver with the Ferrari man pushing hard to get within DRS.

Too hard it seemed.

Leclerc mounted the kerbs at the Variante Alta and went nose first into the barrier, the driver having to pit for a new nose cone and falling to ninth.

LAP 54/53

Leclerc has gone into the barriers at the chicane!

He's got going again, returns to the pits and then out again on track but down in P9 #ImolaGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/242hWCCR8h

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 24, 2022

Schumacher feels his chase was unnecessary, he should have settled for third.

“The car was there, the opportunity was there, only both drivers made too many mistakes this weekend,” he told Sky Germany.

“Leclerc drives over the kerb and just wants too much – in a situation that isn’t necessary at all.

“He should have accepted taking third place. That’s also the key to a World Championship.”

With Verstappen taking the win ahead of Perez and Leclerc only recovering as high as P6, the